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Till on those cursed engines triple-row 
They saw them whelm’d, and all their confidence 
Under the weight of mountains buried deep; 
Themselves invaded next, and on their heads 
Main promontories flung, which in the air 
Came shadowing, and oppress’d whole legions arm d; 
Their armour help’d their harm, crush’d in and bruis’d 
Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain 
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan. 
Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind 
Out of such pris’n, though spirits of purest light, 
Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown. 
The rest in imitation to like arms 
Betook them, and the neighb’ring hills uptore; 
So hills amid the air encounter’d hills 
Hurl’d to and fro with jaculation dire. 
That under ground they fought in dismal shade; 
Infernal noise; war seem’d a civil game 
To this uproar: horrid confusion heap’d 
Upon confusion rose. And now all heav’n 
Had gone to wreck, with ruin overspread. 
Had not th’ Almighty Father, where He sits 
Shrin’d in his sanctuary of heav’n secure, 
Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen 
This tumult, and permitted all, advis’d; 
That his great purpose He might so fulfil, 
To honour his anointed Sow aveng’d 
Upon his enemies.- 
He on his impious foes right onward drove. 
Gloomy as night; under his burning wheels 
The stedfast empyrean shook throughout, 
All but the throne itself of God. Full soon 
Among them He arriv’d, in his right hand 
Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent 
Before him, such as in their souls infix’d 
Blagues: they astonish’d, all resistance lost, 
All courage; down their idle weapons dropt: 
O’er shields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode 
Of thrones and mighty seraphim prostrate, 
That wish’d the mountains now might be again 
Thrown on them, as a shelter from his ire. 
Nor less on either side tempestuous fell 
His arrows, from the fourfold-visag’d Four 
Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels 
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes; 
One spirit in them rul’d, and every eye 
Glar’d lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire 
Among the accurs’d, that wither’d all their strength. 
And of their wonted vigour left them drain’d, 
Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fall’n. 
Yet half his strength he put not forth, but check’d 
His thunder in mid volley; for he meant 
Not to destroy, but root them out of heav’n; 
The overthrown he rais’d, and as a herd 
Of goats or tim’rous flock together throng’d, 
